Controlling system for storage batteries



C. E. BEACH. CONTROLLING SYSTEM or: STORAGE BATTERIES.

APPLICATION HLED FEB.1I,1920.

INVE/VTQR H 3N t 9 1 1 H 8 m R V A M m m2 mm m um km E m "DJ r mm H mn Y O Q0 3m wmn NM Q n 2 3 om 21 ON 0" m N EN NN N w w on o o e 6 N n U Q Q Q? 9 005:0 1 O Q 0E. BEACH. CONTROLLING SYSTEM FOR STOR AGEBATTERIES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11 1920. 1,396,242. Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR 16. c9. M,

PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE E. BEACH, 0F BINGHAM'ION, NEW YORK.

conraonnme SYSTEM FOR sroaaen surname."

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented NOV. 8,1921.

Application filed February 11, 1920. Serial No. 357,789.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE E. BEACH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Binghamton, county of Broome, and State of ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Systems for Storage Batteries, of which the following is a specification.

1 This invention relates to the controlling of storage batteries in connection with signaling circuits, and is particularly adapted for use when three storage batteries are each to be connected in alternation to a source of charging current and to one and the other of two difierent types or classes of discharge circuit. I

Occasions for the use of this invention arise under various circumstances 'such as, for example, in combination night watch and fire alarm or burglar alarm central stations, where a current source is re uired for supplying one or more normally 0 osed current paths and an independent source is required for supplying a corresponding one or more normally open paths. If stora batteries are employed under such clrcumstances, it is evldent that. the battery or batteries supplying normally closed current paths will become discharged in a shorter time than those supplying normally open current paths; and that, if both are recharged upon occasions of corresponding frequency, such closed circuit batteries will require greater recharge, as to either or both of the factors of current intensity and period of charge, than the batteries which have been connected to normally open current aths. In battery plants, such as those just reierred to, it is usually inadvisable to charge the various batteries while they are discharging, and it has therefore become common practice to provide duplicate batteries, so that one battery may be charged while another corresponding battery is discharged. When several of such batteries are simultaneously charged, 1t is customary to connect them 1n one or more serles groups in order .to more economically utilize the electromotive forcev of the available charging current source; the voltages of such individual batteries usuall being less than one-half of ordinarily avai able charging current source tentials. It is therefore evident that it wi siderable inconvenience, undesirable complications and inefiiciency if batteries adapted for connection in series during charge,

involve con-' require application thereto of charging current of different strengths or for various periods ,of time.

It is frequently found to be diflicult to determine the amount of discharge to' which a-battery connected to normally open paths has been subjected, because of the great influence of differing service conditions upon the degree of discharge attained by such a battery during comparatively short periods. It has also been observed that storage battery electrodes of one polarity lose their charge more rapidly than those of the other. polarity while standing on open circuit, so that it becomes necessary to overcharge the electrodes of one polarity in order to replace loss of charge in electrodes of the other polarity when cells have stoodton open circuit for long periods. ror these reasons, such batteries are artificially discharged in many instances, before attempting to recharge them, in order to enab e the plates of opposite'polarity to be more uniformly discharged. i

For reasons which are well understood by those skilled in this art, conditions frequently arise under which it is objectionable to establish a current path between a charging current source and working circuits.

It is likewise undesirable that there shall be any interruption of the continuity of working circuits during transposition of the batteries which supply them. For these reasons, it is desirable that, during such transpositions, char 'ng current sources shall be disconnected 0m such batteries before working circuits are connected thereto, and that workin circuits shall be connected to fresh batterles, before being disconnected from batteries which have been supplying them.

An object of this invention is to provide a controlling system for storage batteries whereb a plurality of such batteries may be utilize for independently supplying normally open or normally closed current paths, and whereby each such battery ma be periodically recharged to an extent WhlOh iS uniform for all of such batteries, without thereby either over or under charging any by the rotation ciated contacts; the crank" 31 carrvi Another object of this invention is to provide such a system so arranged that it will be impossible to connect the charging source to any battery during the connection of any 7 discharge circuit thereto.

Other objects of this invention will be in part obvious and in part specifically mentioned in the following specification.

This invention consists of certain features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafterdescribed and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Like reference characters denote similar parts in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a system embodying this invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of certain details of the structure shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an elevation of Fig. 2, and

disk having formed therein the notches 34, 35 and 36, which notches will be hereinafter more fully described.

The pawl 37 is pivoted at 38 and carries the follower 37, which is held against the periphery of the disk 33 by the spring 39; said follower being so formed as to be adapted to suitably engage the notches 34, 35 and 36 so as to prevent counter clockwise rotation of said disk; notch 34 being so positioned with relation to the roller 29 as to be disposed in the path of the follower 37 when said roller 29 has acted to move the bar 27 to its extreme right-hand position; the notch 36 being disposed in the path of said follower when said roller 29 has acted to movethe bar 27 to its extreme left-hand position; and the notch 35 is situated midway between the notches 34 and 36 in that portion of the periphery of thedisk 33 Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation which is presented to the follower 37 during similar to Fig. l of another embodiment of clockwise rotation of said disk carrying the this invention. notch 36 away from said follower.

Referring to Fig. 1, the switch arms 21 The force of the spring 39 is so proporand 22 are connected through suitable eon-. tioned to the formation of the notches 34, ductors to the respective terminals of the 35 and 36 and to the follower 37' that, when battery A, the switch arms 23 and 24 are said follower rests in any one (if said notches,

similarly connected to the terminals of batthe disk 33 and parts moving therewith will tery B, and the switch arms 25 and 26 are be held against accidental displacement, and 30 similarly connected to the terminals of batagainst such rotation as might otherwise reter C. i sult from the unbalanced condition of said The contacts 121, 221 and 321 are mounted structure when the crank 31 is in a horiin suitable relation to the switch arm 21, so zontal position. that said arm will be brought into successive The switch arms 40 and 41 are mechaniengagement therewith during the movement cally connected by the yoke 42, so that said of said arm; the relative form and -positionarms will move in unison, but are not thereing of said contacts and arm being such that, by electrically connected. The contacts 140 during the movement of such arm from one and 240 are mounted in coiiperative relation to another of said contacts, said arm will with theswitch arm 40, and the contacts 141 not break its connection with any one of said and 241 are similarly-mounted with relation contacts until after it has established a conto the switch arm 41. nection with another of said contacts. The contacts 122, 222 and 322; 123, 223 and 323; ment of the arms 40 and 41 in the direction 124, 224 and 324; 125, 225 and 325; 126, 226 of the contacts 140 and 141 from the conand 326 are similarly arranged with relation tacts 240 and 241; a tendency for such moveto the switch arms 22, 23, 24, 25.and 26, rement being constantly imparted to said arms The stop 43 is provided for limiting move spectively. Such arms and contacts thereby the spring 44 acting through the yoke 42.

fore constitute three-position switches. An armature 45 is secured to the yoke 42,

A bar 27 mechanically connects the switch the poles of the electro-magnet 46 being arms 21 to 26 inclusive to concurrently acmounted in the path of the armature 45 (see tuate' and correspondingly p sition s id Fig. 2) so that when thearms '40 and 41"are switches but does not-establish any electrical engaging the contacts 240 and 241 respecconnectlon therebetween; the central portion tively, said armature will rest against the of the bar 27 being so formed as to provide poles of said magnet; and said magnet 46 is an angular opening 28. A roller 29, carried adapted, when the windings thereof are exby the crank 31, projects into the opening 28 cited by the passage therethrough of the in-' to suitably engage the-walls thereof so that, tended charging current, 'to hold said .armaof said crank 31. the switch ture 45 inengagement therewith against-the arms 21 to 26 inclusive may be conveniently tendency of the spring 44, and thereby removed from one to another of their asso; tainthe arms 40' and 41 in engagement with v the the contacts 240 and 241 respectively. Said handle 32 being secured. to the shaft 30 the manual actuation thereof.

rotation therewith, the periphery of saidload circuit-breaker.

for contacts 240-and 241, switch arms 40 and 41, 4 yoke 42, spring 44, armature 45 and magnet) he d k 33 is secured to the shaft 30 for 46 therefore coiiperatively serve as an undera A projection 47 carried by the yoke 42 extends in the path of the pawl 37, said projection being so positioned that, when the follower 37 is supported by the periphery of the disk 33 said projection will prevent such movement of the yoke 42 as would permit the switch arms 40 and 41 to touch their respective coiiperating contacts 240 and 241. The depth of thenotches 34, 35 and 36 is such as to permit such movement of the pawl 37, in response to the spring 39, as will permit the yoke 42 to carry the armature 45 into engagement with the polesof the magnet 46.

The arms 40 and 41 are connected, by,

is similarly connected to the contacts 122, 224 and 326.

The conductors and 51 are adapted to form parts of a suitable discharging current path or paths, and the conductors 52 and 53 are adapted to form parts of a similar path or paths; the conductor 50 being connected to the contacts 222, 324 and 126; the conductor 51 being connected to the contacts 221, 323 and 125; the conductor 52 being connected to the contacts 322, 124 and 226; and the conductor 53 being connected to the contacts 321,123 and 225.

p The pointer 48 and plate 49 form indicatmeans for disclosing the relationships,

in at orded by the various positions of the bar 27, between the chargin current source and the batteries A, B or It is evident that such plate may bear suitable markings for I likewise disclosing the relationships between the circuit supplied by the conductors 50 and 51, the circuit supplied by the conductors 52. and 53, or both of such circuits, and the respective batteries.

Although but three batteries and one pair of discharging current paths are shown in I the accompanying drawing and herein described, it is evident that correspondin triplicate battery grou s may be arrange to similarly supply ad itional pairs of current paths, in any given system, by correspondingly extending the bar 27 and connecting thereto additional groups of similar switches for like coiiperation with correspond' contacts. Shoul it be desired to dispense with the use of an underload circuit-breaker, without thereby permitt' during transpositions, the development 0 interconnections between the charging source and the working circuits; or if, for any other reasons, reversal of the battery and working circuit relations the accompanying drawing may be .varied by connecting the terminals of two of the batteries to the conductors 50, 51, 52 and 53; and by disconnecting the conductors shown as leading from the contacts 240 and 241, and connecting said conductors to the third battery. If the batteries are thus connected to the contacts of switches, such as those shown in the accompanying drawing, the discharge paths should be connected to two pairs of the switch arms, as, for example, the arms 21 and 22, and the arms 25 and 26; and the charge path contacts 240 and 241 should be connected to the remaining pair of arms, as, for example, to the arms 23 and 24 respectively. The contacts which cooperate with the switch arms connected to' the contacts 240 and 241, as just described, should be so cut away that, durin the movement of such arms, the connection will be broken from one of said contacts before it is established with another; and the arrangement of all of such switch arms and their associated contacts should be such that the switch arms which are connected with the contacts 240 and 241 will not, at any time, touch any contact communicating with any battery either terminal of which is connected with any contact then engaged by a switch arm of any other pair.

Such a. variation in arrangement is indicated by Fig. 4, in which the terminals of battery A are shown connected to the conductors '52 and 53; the terminals of battery .B are shown connected to the contacts 121, 223 and 325, and the contacts 122, 224 and 326; and the terminals of battery C are shown connected to the conductors 50 and 51.

shown by Fig. 4 is such that,'during movement of the switch arms from one contact to another, the arms 21, 22, 25 and 26 retain electrical connections with one set of their respective associated contacts until they have established connections with another set of such contacts, while the reverse is true of the arms 23 and 24 whichare connected to the chargingsource or generator G. The contacts 123, 223, 323, 124, 224 and 324 are spaced with relation tothe freeends of the arms 23 and 24 so that, during movement of said arms from one to another of the contacts respectively associated therewith, each of said arms will move out of engagement with contacts other than those engaged prior.

to the commencement of such movement;

andso that,'after the arms23 and 24 have thus disenga one set of theircontacts, neither of said arms will engage any other lar cells, so that the electromotive forces'of said respective batteries will be substantially alike. A charging current source G is so arranged that, if connected to any one of the batteries A, B or C, said source will supply suitable charging current thereto.

If the notch 36 is disposed in the path of the follower 37 the crank 31 will extend to the left and substantially parallel to the bar 27, and the switch arms 21 to 26 inclusive will be in their respective extreme left-hand positions, the battery A will' be conditioned for charging (as disclosed by the position of the pointer 48 with relation to the marking of the plate 49) the battery B will be connected to supply the current paths dependent upon conductors 52 and 53; and the battery 0 will be correspondingly connected to the conductors 50 and 51. The follower 37 will be resting in the notch 36, and will consequently permit movement of the yoke 42 toward the right such as will bring the armature against the poles of the electro-magnet- 46, and will bring the switch arms 40 and 41 into engagement with the contacts 240 and 241, before bringingthe projection 47 against said pawl 37. .If the yoke 42 is so moved to the right, charging current will be supplied to the battery A, thereby energizing the electro-magnet 46,

' which will act through the armature 45 to prevent movement of the to the spring 44.

After 'snchan application of charging current to the battery A, should the source of charging current fail or become insufiicient to effectively excite the electro-magnet 46, the spring 44 willmove the switch arms 40 and"'4-1 away-from the'contacts-240. and 241 yoke 42 in response respectively, and thereby automatically prevent discharge of the battery A intothe charging circuit.

When the battery A has been suflieiently charged, the charging source may be 'disconnected therefrom by slightly raising the handle 32, so as to withdraw the potch 36 fr from the path of the follower 37', and thus force said follower to. the periphery of the disk 33. The movement thus im arted to through pawl 37 to the projection 47 and bar 42 so as to withdraw the switch arms .40 and 41 from-their respective coiiperating contacts connected to the con 240 and 241; thus discontinuing the flow of charging current into the battery A and thereby denergizing the electro-magnet 46.

Assuming that the current paths supplied through the conductors 50 and 51 are normally open so that they permit a compare discharge with greater rapidity than the battery C. It is therefore desirable that,

after any given battery has been utilized a for a convenient period (say, for example,

one day) in supplying such low drain current paths, such battery shall be connected for a like period to a current'path which will discharge it more rapidly, and that such battery shall be thereupon recharged.

The use of this invention enables each of the various batteries to be subjected to such a sequence of low and high discharge rate periods, followed by a suitable charging period; connecting each discharge path, and the recharge path, to one after another of the batteries in the order of a predetermined sequence; as will be hereinafter more fully' explained.

When it is desired to recharge-the battery B, the crank 31'sh0uld be moved from its left-hand horizontal position to its upright position, thus bringing, the notch 35 in the path of the follower 37 moving the switch arms 21 to 26 inclusive to their respective intermediate contacts, and bringingthe pointer 48 to register with the letter B of the plate 49; and the arms 40 and 41 should be moved into engagement with the contacts-240 and 241 respectively, bringing the armature 45 against the poles of the magnet 46.

The freshly charged battery A will now be connected to conductors 50 and 51, the substantially discharged battery B will be connected, to the generator G for recharging, the battery C, which has been subjected to comparativeliy little discharge while ,uctors 50 and 51, will now be connected to the conductors 52 and 53, so as to discharge more rapidly.

' After the batte B has been sufficiently recharged, it' may either held in reserve or placed in service; the charging-current being, in either event, disconnected thereom. a

When it is desired to charge battery C,-

the crank 31 is moved from its upright to its right-hand horizontal position thus.trans-.

ferring each of the switch arms 21 to 26 inclusive from itsintermediate contact to its right-hand contact. The battery C is thus adapted for; connection hrough the switch arms iO and 41 to the generatorG to be suitably recharged thereby, the battery B being connected to the conductors 50 and 51 and the battery A being connected to the conductors 52 and 53. When it is now desired to again charge the battery A the crank 31 is turned clockwise from its righthand horizontal position to the left-hand horizontal position thereof with the results stantially uniform, the rate and period of required charge will always be substantially the same, and that all of the batteries will be correspondingly discharged between charging periods. It is also evident that three batteries will, in accordance with this system, provide service for which four batteries have heretofore been employed.

It is believed that the operation of this invention will be fully understood by those skilled in this art, without further description thereof; and that it will be apparent, from the foregoin that changes may be made, involving a ditions or omissions of parts or differences inform and arrangementof parts, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A system comprising'two current paths,

' independent current sources for said paths,

respectively, and a reserve current source; in combination with controlling mechanism for simultaneously transferring each of said paths from one to another of said sources.

2. A system comprising two current paths, independent current sources for saidpaths, respectively, and a reserve current source; in combination with controlling mechanism for simultaneously transferring each of said paths from one to another of said sources, such mechanism being so constructed and arranged that said sources and paths will be connected in parallel during such transfers. 3. Three secondary batteries, twodischarge paths, one charge path, and means for connecting said batteries and paths, each with any, respectively, said means being so constructed and arrangedthat no connection will be established between either of said discharge paths and said charge path incident to the operation of said means.

quence f 4. Three secondary batteries, two discharge paths, one charge path, means constructed and arranged for interconnecting respective ones of said paths and batteries, each with any, only in a predetermined seand to prevent interconnection through said means between said charge path and either of said discharge paths.

5. Three secondary batteries; two discharge paths; one charge path; and means for respectively connecting said batteries and paths and for transferring such connections, from each to any, respectively, said means being so constructed and arranged that transfers of each of said paths from battery to battery will be accomplished only in the order of a predetermined sequence.

6. Three secondary batteries; two dis charge paths; one charge ath; means for respectively connecting said batteries and paths, said means being operable to transfer said connections, from each to any, respectively; and an underload circuit-breaker in said charge path responsive to the operation of said means.

7 Three secondary batteries; two discharge paths; one charge path; means for respectively connecting said batteries and paths and for transferring such connections, from each to any, respectively; an underload circuit-breaker for said charge path; and a member operable by said means to hold said circuit-breaker open during such transfers.

8. Three secondary batteries, two discharge paths, one charge path, and means for respectively connecting said batteries and paths and for transferring such connections, from each to any, respectively, without thereby interrupting either of said discharge paths orinterconnecting either ofsuch paths with the charge path.

9. Three storage batteries, two discharge paths. one charge path, three three-posltlon switches, and connections from said switches to said batteries and paths whereby said switches may connect said batteries and paths, each with any, respectively.

10. Three storage batteries, two discharge paths, one charge path, three three-position switches, and connections between said switches and said batteries and paths whereby said switches may connect said batteries and paths, each with any, respectively, and transfer such connection withoutthereby interrupting the continuity of either of said discharge paths.

11. Threestorage batteries; two discharge paths; one charge path; three three-position swtches; operating means arranged to concurrently actuate and correspondingly position said switches; and conductors so ar-' ation of said switches, any battery may be ranged that, while said switches occupy an one of said three positions, each battery wi 1 be connected to a different one of said paths, and so that, by suitable actuation of said switches, any battery may be connected to any one of said paths; said switches be ng so arranged relatively to said operatmg means and to one another that the continuity of said discharge paths will not be interrupted during actuation thereof.

13. Three storage batteries: two discharge paths: one charge path: three three-position switches: operating means arranged to concurrently actuate and correspondingly position said switches: and conductors so arranged that, while said switches occupy any one of said three positions, each battery will be connected to a different oneof said paths, and so that, by suitable actuation of said switches, said batteries and paths may be connected, each to any, respectively; said switches being so arranged relatively to said operating means and to one another that, during actuation thereof, such interconnections will be established, between. different batteries and between difi'erent paths, as to avoid any interruption-of the continuity of either of said discharge paths.

14. Three storage batteries: two discharge paths: one charge path: three three-position switches: operating means arranged to concurrently actuate and correspondingly position said switches: conductors so arranged that, while said switches occupy any one of said three positions, each battery" will be connected to a differentone of said paths,

and so that, by suitable actuation of said switches, said batteries and paths may be connected, each .to any, respectively; said switches being so arranged relatively to said operating means and to one another that,

during actuation thereof, such interconnec-" tions will be established, between different batteries and between different paths, as to avoid any interruption ofthe continuity of either of said discharge paths and a circuitbreaker for said charge ath opened by said operating means throng out such intercon-- mechanism for assuring a predetermined sequence of current path connections to each nections. A a

15. Three storage batteries: two discharge paths: one charge path: three three-position said three positions, each battery will be connected to'a different one of said paths,

and: so that, by suitable actuation of'said connected to a different one of'said switches, said batteries and paths may be connected, each to any, respectively; said switches being so arranged relatively to said,

avoid any interruption of the continuity of' either of said discharge paths: and an automatic underload circuit-breaker for said charge path, said breaker being opened by a, member moved by said operating means whenever said switches are disposed intermediate to any two of the three positions thereof.

16. Three storage-batteries: two discharge paths: one charge path: three three-position switches: operating means arran ed to concurrently actuate and correspon mgly position said switches: conductors so arranged that, while said switches occupy any one of said three positions, each battery will Illoe at s, and so that, by suitable actuation of said switches, said batteries and'paths may be connected, each to any, respectively; said switches being so arranged relatively to said operating means and to one another that, during actuation thereof, such interconnection will be established, between different batteries and between different paths, as to avoid any interruption of the continuity of either of said discharge paths: and an automatic underload circuit-breaker for said charge path, said breaker uelng opened by a member moved by said operating means throughout such interconnections.

17. Three storage batteries: two discharge paths: one charge path: three three-position switches: operating means arranged to concurrently actuate and correspondingly position said switches: conductors so arranged that, while said switches occupy any one of said three positions, each battery will be connected to a different one of said paths, and so that, ,by suitable actuation of said switches, said batteries and paths may be connected, each to any, respectively; said switches being so arranged relatively to said operating means and to one another that, during actuation thereof, such interconnections will be established, between different batteries and between different paths, as to avoid any interruption of the continuity of either of said discharge paths: and ratchet battery.

. 18. Three storage batteries: two discharge paths: one charge path: three three-position switches:-operating means arranged to concurrently actuate and correspondingly position' said switches: conductors so arranged that, while said switches occupy any -one of said three positions, each battery will be connected to a different one of said'paths, and so that, by suitable actuation of said switches, said, batteries and paths may be connected, each to any, respectively; said switches being so arranged relatively to said operating means and to one another that,

during actuation thereof, such interconnec-' tions will be established, between different batteries and between different paths, as to 10 avoid any interruption of the continuity of either of said discharge paths: and holding means for preventing the transfer of the connection of any battery from the charge path to a certain one of the discharge paths without first connecting such battery to the other of said discharge paths.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, this 9th day of February, 1920.

C. E. BEACH. 

